Sharon Ventura is a comic book superheroine from the Marvel Comics universe. Created by Mike Carlin and Ron Wilson, the character first appeared in Thing #27 (September 1985). She also answers to Ms Marvel (often used by Carol Danvers), and has served as a member of the Fantastic Four and the female wrestlers known as the Grapplers.

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Character biography

Sharon Ventura met the Thing, who was involved with the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation (UCWF) at the time. She signed up for the Power Broker's program in order to have her strength augmented and join the UCWF. The Power Broker (actually Curtiss Jackson), employed Dr. Karl Malus to create super-powered wrestlers for his competitions. Sharon was unaware of the criminal activities of Jackson or Malus. While boosting their subjects' strength, the pair addicted the subjects to a drug, ensuring their obedience. It has been implied that she was raped while a prisoner of Malus, which caused her to develop an intense hatred and distrust of men. Sharon managed to break free before Malus administered the drug. She adopted the costume which UCWF minder Ann Fraley (Auntie Freeze) had arranged for her, taking the name Ms. Marvel. Alongside the Thing, she battled the Grapplers and the UCWF wrestlers. She then battled the She-Hulk.

Later, Sharon was used by the Power Broker to determine if the augmentation could be reversed. Alongside Captain America, she battled the Power Broker.

Sharon later joined the Fantastic Four, and alongside the Fantastic Four she battled Diablo. Shortly after joining the Fantastic Four, Sharon was mutated by cosmic rays and took on strength and appearance similar to that of Ben Grimm, a.k.a. the Thing. She later first encountered Aron the Rogue Watcher, and battled the She-Hulk. With She-Hulk, she battled Dragon Man. With the Fantastic Four and Frightful Four, she was captured by Aron. They escaped and defeated their clones.Sharon later battled the Hulk. Sharon was offered the chance to be human again by Doctor Doom while a then-powerless Ben Grimm chose to use one of Reed Richards machines to revert back to the Thing to save Sharon. Alongside the Fantastic Four, she battled the Time Variance Authority. Sharon left the Fantastic Four soon after and began working for Doctor Doom. Sharon claimed to be doing this so that Doom would cure Ben as he had her. She was sent by Doctor Doom to spy on the Fantastic Four, where she first met Alicia Masters. With Mister Fantastic and the Thing, she was captured by Aron, but rescued by the Molecule Man and Doctor Doom. Alongside the Fantastic Four, she battled the Secret Defenders.Alongside the Fantastic Four, Lyja, and the Inhumans, she battled Doctor Doom. When she refused to betray her friends in the Fantastic Four to Doctor Doom, Doom spitefully mutated her into a much more monstrous form. Even though she never officially retired her Ms. Marvel moniker, she became informally known as the She-Thing. After a bout of insanity, she joined the Frightful Four briefly, attacking the FF before regaining her sanity and relocating with Fantastic Four associate Wyatt Wingfoot.

Years later, Ms. Marvel had a guest appearance in Marvel Knights 4, a spinoff of the main Fantastic Four book. The appearance established that she was indeed alive and well in the Marvel Universe and her attire implied she was still residing with Wingfoot. Her absence was poked fun at, as she stated that she couldn't believe anybody still had her number.

Sharon Ventura later appeared in her Thing form.

Civil War

Someone wearing Sharon Ventura's 'Ms. Marvel' costume appeared in a comic during the Civil War along with other heroes refusing to register under the Super Human Registration Act. The heroes' location was raided and many were captured. It is unknown if this 'Ms. Marvel' was among those captured, or if this really was Sharon Ventura.

Secret Invasion

During the Secret Invasion, Sharon seemingly appeared in her "She Thing" persona. However, she was revealed to be a Skrull and killed by the Skrull Kill Krew.

Powers and abilities

As Ms Marvel, Sharon had superhuman strength and endurance, thanks to augmentation of her physical attributes by Dr. Karl Malus on behalf of the Power Broker. The mutagenic effect due to exposure to cosmic radiation that turned her into the "She-Thing" later greatly increased her physical attributes and durability.

Sharon is highly proficient in hand-to-hand combat, and skilled at various martial arts, including Tae Kwon Do and American boxing. She is also an expert stunt-woman, scuba diver, skydiver, motorcyclist, mountain climber, skier, lion-tamer, and wrestler. She attended a military academy until she was expelled.

Other versions

MC2

In the alternate timeline of MC2, Sharon is human again, she and Ben were married, and have twin children, Alyce and Jacob, although they later divorced. Sharon Ventura appears in the 2007 Fantastic Five limited series.